Driver assistant system using influence mapping for conflict avoidance path determination

ABSTRACT

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle and operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the vehicle and sideward of the vehicle. The driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by the sensors to determine the presence of objects ahead and/or sideward of the vehicle. Responsive to the data processing, the driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects. The driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects. Responsive to the respective determined speeds and/or directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 61/718,382, filed Oct. 25, 2012 and Ser. No. 61/696,416, filed Sep.4, 2012, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems, vision systems and/ordriver assistance systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to amachine vision system for full or partially autonomies driving andevasive steering and braking for collision avoidance and impactdegrading.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935; and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Use of plural imaging sensors and environmental sensors in vehiclemachine vision and (human) vision systems are known. It is known to fusevehicle sensors for achieving redundant or enhanced data in combination.Redundancy adds to the security of the driver assistant system.

To use the input of multiple sensor systems for a conflict or collisionavoidance and impact degrading system utilizing object detection andtracking is also known. The task of the collision avoidance system is toanalyze the sensor data to determine the potential environmentalcollision hazards for either initiating warnings, evasive steering,braking, acceleration or to capture a record.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a conflict avoidance system or visionsystem or imaging system for a vehicle that utilizes two or more camerasto capture images exterior of the vehicle (such as forward and/orrearward of the vehicle), and provides the communication/data signals,including camera data or image data, that may be displayed at a displayscreen that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle, such as when, forexample, the driver is backing up the vehicle, and that may be processedand, responsive to such image processing, the system may detect anobject at or near the vehicle and in the path of travel of the vehicle,such as when the vehicle is backing up. The vision system may beoperable to display a surround view or bird's eye view of theenvironment at or around or at least partially surrounding the subjector equipped vehicle.

The present invention provides a driver assistance system or conflict orcollision avoidance system or vision system or imaging system for avehicle that utilizes one or more cameras or other external sensors tocapture data or images exterior of the vehicle, and an (image) dataprocessor/processing system for determining the potential environmentalcollision hazards for initiating evasive steering, braking and/oracceleration. The system of the present invention fills the vehicle'senvironmental detected hazardous objects properties influence into a 2Dinfluence map. The higher the object's hazardous potential (such as dueto a greater speed of the object or due to the direction of travel ofthe object, such as when an object is determined to be heading in adirection of travel towards the equipped vehicle or into the path oftravel of the equipped vehicle), the greater the object's environment orsurroundings becomes influenced (and thus a greater influence value orweighting is applied to that object by the system of the presentinvention). The driver assistance system or conflict or collisionavoidance system chooses the optimal path around the objects with theleast influence or potential conflict or obstruction within theinfluence map.

Optionally, the vehicle's maneuvering and braking abilities and methainformation or other data (such as geographic, altitude, seasonal,climate, weather, urban vs. rural location, traffic density,car2car/car2x data, or the like) and/or other environmental propertiesor considerations may be considered as well. Optionally, legislative andethical considerations may also be considered in determining theobjects' influence ratings.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system and imagingsensors or cameras that provide exterior fields of view in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of an influence map of a (typical)highway scene (no pedestrian, no cyclist, no cross traffic, no opposingtraffic) in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary influence map suitable for use in the system ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a table (TABLE 1) showing an example of a ranking scheme, withthe gray deposited values have the highest ranking value;

FIG. 5 is a table (TABLE 2) showing how speed of an object relative tothe equipped vehicle may be taken into account as an influence ratingparameter;

FIG. 6 is a look up table (TABLE 3) showing data that may be providedwith entries that may be specified by the system's manufacturer, thevehicle's manufacturer or by legislation or commissions; and

FIG. 7 is a table (TABLE 4) showing how distance of an object to theequipped vehicle may be taken into account as an influence ratingparameter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes aprocessor that is operable to receive image data from the vehiclecameras and may provide a displayed image that is representative of thesubject vehicle (such as for a top down or bird's eye or surround view,such as discussed below).

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12that includes at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera,such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera 14 a (and the systemmay optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors orcameras, such as a forwardly facing camera 14 b at the front (or at thewindshield) of the vehicle, and a sideward/rearward facing camera 14 c,14 b at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exteriorof the vehicle, with the camera having a lens for focusing images at oronto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera (FIG. 1).The vision system 12 includes a control or processor 18 that is operableto process image data captured by the cameras and may provide displayedimages at a display device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle(although shown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in or at aninterior rearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the control and/orthe display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle).

2D and 3D environment reconstruction out of image and sensor data isused to determine potential hazards in the path of the vehicle. Thesystem may judge the object's properties and resulting potential as ahazard. Although it is known to rate hazardous influence in a so calledinfluence map in robotics and computer games (influence mapping),automotive applications present challenges overcome by the presentinvention. The present invention uses an influence map for generating amanageable number of collision avoidance and impact degrading paths byfollowing the most promising during computing.

With reference to FIG. 2, (A) represents distance markers within a timeframe (speed) (the more the distance, the faster), (B) represents acollision avoidance and impact degrading (steering and braking oracceleration) path, (C) represents a collision avoidance and impactdegrading (steering and braking or acceleration) path, (D) represents acollision avoidance and impact degrading (steering and braking oracceleration) path, (E) represents a collision avoidance and impactdegrading (steering and braking or acceleration) path, and (F)represents a collision avoidance and impact degrading (steering andbraking or acceleration) path. Also, (1) represents a relatively fastvehicle and (2) represents a relatively slow vehicle. (3) represents anopposing road side (very high influence level), (4) represents a sidestrip, (5) represents a hard shoulder/emergency lane (high influencelevel), and (6) represents a soft shoulder (very high influence level).As shown in FIG. 2, (7) represents a speed vector of another vehicle,and (8) represents the subject vehicle having a relatively high speed,faster than vehicle (1), and (9) represents the subject vehicle's ownspeed vector.

In the illustration of FIG. 2, all of the vehicles are running with moreor less high speed and in the same direction (see (1), (7) and (9)),since a highway scene is shown (with high traffic, but without anytraffic jam or accidents or the like). At the assumption that thesubject vehicle (8) is closing to the given scenario with a higher speed(9) than the fastest other vehicle (1), the collision interventionsystem may engage. There may be alert levels employed for determiningthe necessarily actions to warn or intervene. The driver's drivingability may be reflected by that. The further on assumption is that thenecessity of the intervention system to engage may have been given. Dueto the fact that a collision is always to be avoided and it is desirableto have a substantially conflictless driving experience, especially whenbeing driven by a fully or partially autonomous system, the system maybe engaged at all times during vehicle operation.

When engaged, the intervention system receives data about objects (suchas other traffic participants or obstacles on the road) from the vehicleimage sensors and/or other environmental sensors (such as a RADAR orLIDAR or LASER and/or the like) and maybe via remote (car2X, car2carand/or the like). These may be already classified (such as, for example,a car, truck, cyclist, pedestrian, motorcyclist, horse carriage,policeman riding a horse, deer, lost load (as obstacle), pole, trafficisland, traffic bollard and/or the like). These data are processed tocreate space depths map in order to receive a 3D or 2D (preferred) worldreconstruction, which requires the detection of the object distances andwidth (preferably also the shape) via any means. Some systems deliver 3Dimprint by nature, such as stereo vision camera systems, while othersystems reconstruct by sensor fusion, such as mono camera systems plus adistance measuring laser.

The identified objects are mapped into the 2D (top view) influence map(FIG. 2). By monitoring the surrounding objects, the system is able todetermine the speed and direction of each object. That informationbecomes attached to each object as a speed vector (7). The hazardouspotential of each object becomes rated by the determination algorithm.The faster an object is (relative to the subject or host or equippedvehicle), the stronger its influence value is (see Tables 1 and 2) and agreater weighting or influence irradiation is applied to the fasterobject or objects. The influence rating or weighting factors equates tothe colors or shading in the two dimensional influence map of FIG. 2,where the higher the influence of an object the darker the color orshading there is at or around the object.

The influence becomes irradiated to (increased or weighted towards) theequating objects area. The influence or weighting is weighted moreforward and backward of a vehicle than sideward, since vehiclestypically do not interfere substantially massively sideward. The fasteran object's speed is, the more the object irradiates ahead. As can beseen in FIG. 2, the irradiation of an object quite close to another doescoalescence when these superpose, such that groups of objects form areaswith an elevated level of irradiation. It is the task of the algorithmto search the least dangerous collision avoidance and impact degradingpath. This is done by laying out a future path of travel of the subjectvehicle under consideration of the vehicle's maneuvering, braking andacceleration physics. There may be a vehicle kinematic model or look uptable employed which may be generated very precisely, but may deliverjust the most significant (may be quite simplified) key data necessaryfor generating a feasible path.

Also the future paths of travel of all known foreign vehicles (orobjects) are estimated. Assumptions of their reaction time, maneuvering,braking and acceleration physics/abilities may have to be made.Different object classes may have different driving parameterassumptions. These may add to the objects' influence on the map.Additionally, the system may take metha data into account depending onthe situation. This may comprise data from a navigation system, such asdata that, for example, includes information as to whether the softshoulder is drivable in an emergency (or may be a canyon), weathercondition data, road surface data, (subject vehicle's) tire wear andinflation data, and the like, either provided by on board data storageor sensors and systems or from remote sensors or systems or datastorage.

To lay out conflict or collision avoidance and impact degrading paths,the system seeks to plan a path with the least interference of theirradiation (lowest level of influence) and the lowest level of lengthwise and side wise acceleration (lowest level of steering interventionand hard braking or strong acceleration), and optionally the leastirritation to other traffic participants (reflected by the choice of theresulting paths at the end of determination). Within the influence mapof FIG. 2, this means that the least speed marker change over distance{f(distance/time)} and the path's curvature. At times when the systemdetermines that an accident is unavoidable, the system may seek a pathwhich reduces or minimizes the hazard of an impact. This is why othervehicles' influence maps have quite longer extension at the edges thanon the center of the rear (and front). An offset impact is always moredangerous than a central impact (statistical evidence supports this).Since there are a large number of possible assumed future scenarios ofthe subject vehicle's driving behavior and other traffic participants'driving behavior and the other interactions, the resulting reactionsbecomes huge even for just a few (milli-)seconds into the future, suchthat the system may have assessment algorithm and criteria to filter outthe “interesting” (most matching to the criteria) ones and to proceed topredetermine these rather than to predetermine all (hundreds) of thepossibilities together. This may lead to optimal and to suboptimalresults.

In the example of an influence map based path determination of FIG. 2,the ‘interesting’ paths are identified by ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’. Itbecomes apparent that path ‘F’ may be a quite undesirable choice to gowith since it requires hard braking. At path ‘E’ and ‘B’, there arequite hectic steering maneuvers involved, which may lead other trafficparticipants to panic maneuvers or at least being irritated. Path ‘C’ isalready capable to be considered quite safe, but the subject vehicle hasfirst to accelerate and then to brake or slow down to the slow speed ofthe drivers ahead. Vehicle (1) has to brake more aggressively hence it'sbraking space is diminishing by the subject vehicle changing to his orher lane. In this example, the choice of path ‘D’ would probably be thepreferred or optimal choice, since nearly no substantial interferencewith any other traffic participant happens and the furthest way is freeat least within the detection distance of the on board sensors (thedetection distance may change under different environmental conditions,and in good cases the detection distance may extend or reach from about30 meters to about 500 meters, depending on the system's components).

Object influence ratings may also be altered or weighted by the hazardof an impact of the subject vehicle to that of other vehicles' occupants(or other objects' occupants or the like and in the case of apedestrian, to the pedestrian). A motorcyclist may be more vulnerablethan a truck, and thus the influence value or weighting value may bechosen higher for a motorcyclist. This data may be provided by a look uptable (see Table 3) with entries that may be specified by the system'smanufacturer, the vehicle's manufacturer or by legislation orcommissions. Ethical commissions may state whether it is preferable toendanger one motorcyclist than one school bus or other kinds ofconflicting cases. Optionally, the ratings may differ in differentcultural areas. By that, the system may engage a look up table whichequates to the region that the vehicle is at currently (controlledonline) or sold at (set at time of production).

Optionally, the distance of a foreign object to the respective vehiclemay be taken into account as another influence rating parameter (seeTable 4). As an optional parameter, which may gain to the influence areaof a foreign object or road participant, the object or the like may bethe blinking. At the times a vehicle blinks (for example, to the left),its forward irradiating ‘aura’ may be extended to the direction of theblinking. By that, the influence map rises in that area which may lowerthe probability that the own vehicle may enter the room or are that theblinking vehicle driver is intending to enter. The driver of theequipped or subject vehicle may rather stay behind the blinking vehicle.

The system is operable continuously as the vehicle is driven along theroad. Thus, the system is always collecting environmental data which arefed into the influence mapping. Further, the system is recapitulatingthe current state in time slots (fractions of seconds long) andreevaluating the situation (by the influence map). During themilliseconds that are progressing an earlier as optimal laid outcollision avoidance path may become abandoned and a better one at thatstate of time may be selected as the preferred or optimal path since theother traffic participants may act at least in part different thanassumed earlier or objects that weren't detected previously may comeinto view of the sensors of the subject vehicle.

One solution for determining avoidance paths that may be optimal or semioptimal may be to handle the suspect vehicle and all foreignobjects/vehicles as being like a marble having an influence valuerolling or gliding over the influence map which influence valuesdetermining the heights (relate to according elevations and valleys).

The marbles may have an assumed mass ‘m’ exposed to an assumed gravity‘g’ and an inherent inertia. When in motion already (according to thespeed vectors (7) in FIG. 2), there may be an assumed kinetic energyinherent to each marble. By that the marble may be turned away andslowed down when running into the direction of an elevation and may beturned to and accelerated when heading into a valley or when a fastermarble closes up from behind, which may cause the map to rise in thatregion. Due to the influence of each object or vehicle, the influencemap under the marble may change continuously while the marble glides orrolls.

More specifically, the marble's acceleration/deceleration force anddirection due to the slope of its resting surface at a specific point inthe map may be calculated by superpositioning each surrounding objectsinfluence contribution. Each object's contribution may be added to onecommon at a certain point such as can be seen in FIG. 3. Thecontribution ‘E’ may be dependent from the distance ‘r’ and theinfluence score ‘I’. Since the relative speed ‘s’ may effect theinfluence that each object may advance in direction its speed vector{right arrow over (s)}, the speed component in the direction of ‘r’ maybe taken into account (see equation (1)) as well.E=(I/r)*{right arrow over (s)}  (1)

To calculate the slope of the area that the marble is resting on, thearea may be assumed as being a triangle between three points a, b, c,with its values E_(a), E_(b), E_(c), which surround the marble. Theslope normal ‘n’ is the vector product of (a-b)×(a-c).

While calculating one marble's normal, its own influence to theinfluence map may not be taken into account.

The exemplary influence map in FIG. 3 shows the influence of an objector vehicle ‘II’ with a speed vector to the left with an influence levelof the value 5 (5 rings) and an object or vehicle ‘III’ with a speedvector to the right with an influence level of the value 7 (7 rings),which influence areas mostly irradiate circumferential and into thedirection of the speed vector. The influence level of the objects II andIII to the edges of the triangle of the to be calculated object (undertest) is resting on can be calculated by counting the number of rings(and by that the influence value) the specific point or area or regionis enclosed in. By summing up the influence of both other objects, thetriangle has two edges with the height of 3 and one with the level 2. Bythat, the triangle's normal is tilted to upper left from upright (and bythat the slope of the triangle will be to the upper left). Whensimulating the next time increment, object I is accelerated into theupper left direction. In this example, the triangle is chosen quite widefor giving example. The triangle may preferably be chosen in aninfinitesimal small manner and the influence calculated not in INTEGERcounting rings but in FLOAT by equation (1) to match the normal vector nmore precisely.

The normal and by that the accelerating component of g of each object(marble) may be calculated accordingly. At a certain point in time, eachmarble may have a certain inherent inertia and acceleration. By that itis possible to presume each marble's new position and speed (or inertia)at a sequential time increment. This is already sufficient to run abasic conflict and/or collision avoidance. The nature of the marblessystem will be to deflect from the most influencing objects in the localsurrounding. The paths which will be gone in (near) future are mostlydetermined by the current influence map landscape. The higher aninfluence level in an area is the more it influences the future course.

In practice, the increment's length may depend on the system'scalculating property or environmental sensors detection rate (such as,for example, 1/30 second or thereabouts). It may be desirable to haveinfinitesimal small time steps for the most accurate object curvecalculation.

More sophisticated systems may aspire to presume the paths with theleast conflict potential, for not running into suboptimal paths. Due tothe fact every successive influence map (inertia and position of eachmarble or object) can be calculated out of the status of itspredecessor, the future approximation and acceleration conflicts may becalculatable and thus simulatable. Of course, the accuracy of thesimulated result may be less the more the future time increment is.Because of that, the simulation may be repeated from the beginning ateach or nearly each new time increment which passes in real time. Sinceidentical simulation of the identical starting scenario possibly come tothe simulated result, the simulation may not be able to find (simulate)alternative avoidance paths. Because of that, there may be an artificialdisturbance (factor) which may (possibly randomly) take influence to thesimulations results.

The disturbance may act to the subject vehicle's marble alone or may beapplied to all marbles in the system. As a specific solution, thedisturbance may be an acceleration impulse. As an alternative specificsolution, the disturbance may be a random change of the marbles restingareas slope normal. By that, the system may ‘fall’ into alternativesolutions at fork way points at which just small disturbances can tiltthe system to one or another extreme, such as known from weatherforecast simulations. Unlike weather simulations, the fork waysalternative ways may have no tendency to chaotically oscillation, maybejust dampened swinging.

The found alternative paths at a current point of time may be assessedby a decision algorithm which may rank the paths by one, some or all ofthe following criteria or may draw a scoring by pooling one, some or allfollowing criteria:

-   -   One path's lowest end point (after a certain amount of time        increments);    -   One path's maximum influence elevation experienced on the whole;    -   One path's median influence elevation experienced on the whole        way;    -   One path's maximum influence slope experienced on the whole way;    -   One path's maximum acceleration experienced on the whole way;    -   One path's maximum forward acceleration/deceleration experienced        on the whole way;    -   One path's maximum lateral acceleration experienced on the whole        way;    -   One path's maximum speed;    -   One path's median speed on the whole way; and/or    -   One path's shortest way.

In a more advance system, the simulated accelerations may be limited tostay in the physical limits of the real objects by reflecting the (maybe partially assumed) objects' properties.

In further advanced systems, the system may be able to distinguishbetween a normal uncritical situation and a critical situation. Thesystem may come to a decision by assessing the predetermined possiblepaths. There may be certain maximum limits in presumed deceleration (sobraking) measures and/or lateral acceleration (hard curving) measures inall optional paths which when overrun may turn the system into a kind of‘critical’ mode. Then the system may not brake as comfortable aspossible, but as soon and as heavy/aggressively as possible. The systemmay be allowed to ignore general traffic rules. By that it may turn ontothe emergency lane for evading a predicted critical situation orcollision (however, the system would not make such a maneuver when inthe usual ‘uncritical’ mode). The system may pass at the non fast lane(overpassing on the right on right hand traffic). The system may changelanes without blinking. The system may select to go off road in case itdetermines that this is the least hazardous way out of the detectedsituation or hazardous condition.

The system may be able to adapt over time by evolutional learning of itsinherent parameters. Positive scenario postulations may strengthen aparameter or parameter set, and negative scenario postulations may causethe system to alter the parameter set. Different parameter optima may befound for different driving conditions including the weather, road(motor way/city, crowded/less crowded, bumpy/smooth asphalt/gravel) andvehicle conditions.

Furthermore, advanced systems, especially when being connected in realtime via car2car or car2x or the like, may jointly simulate the othervehicles' and subject vehicle's influence effects and may come tosolutions which may be the common best (not necessarily the individual'sbest) and communicate each participants presumed and dedicated drivingpath. When there are objects and traffic participants in the near whichare not connected, the system may assume these as comparably highinfluencive (and less predictable and controllable as the otherconnected participants), which results that these participants may becircumscribed with comparably wider clearance. The common calculationunit may be placed external as a remote server.

Therefore, the present invention provides a conflict and/or collisionavoidance system that determines the position and speed of othervehicles on the road on which the subject vehicle is traveling and, whenit is determined that the subject vehicle is approaching the othervehicles, the system determines one or more possible paths that avoidthe other vehicles or objects and the system may select a preferred oroptimal path that avoids the other vehicles and objects and requires theleast aggressive maneuvering (such as hard braking and/or hard steeringof the subject vehicle). The system may generate an alert to the driverof the selected path, and may display the path or paths to the driverfor the driver to select. Optionally, the system may control thevehicle, such as the braking system and/or steering system of thevehicle, to assist in maneuvering through the traffic along a selectedpath. The system may consider the size and speed and type of the othervehicles in determining the appropriate preferred or optimal path oftravel for the subject vehicle.

As discussed above, the system may be operable to classify and ‘label’or identify one or multiple object(s) and to set the speed andtrajectory parameters and ‘matha’ properties to rank their hazardouspotential or influence, even when the detected object is far from thesubject vehicle and still a “spot” on the horizon, and when detectionsystems such as radar, laser and cameras are still unable to determinesuch parameters of the distant object. This hazardous influence rankingmay be done by taking the speed, the distance, the size, the mass andthe deformability and vulnerability of the subject vehicles or objectsinto account. There may be a look up table of each object's propertyinfluence value in use. In order to avoid overwhelming the driver withtoo many object's information and data, there may be a certain level ofinfluence or a limited number of objects with the highest ranking whichbecome brought to the driver's attention. In the example of such aranking scheme shown in Table 1 (with Tables 2-4 showing sub tables ofthe used metrics) the gray deposited values are these of the three withthe highest ranking value which would be the data of choice. When thevehicles' desired destinations are known due to data transmission, theintended paths can become predetermined. As Metha information, the localtraffic rules may be regarded by the rating algorithms as well as whenchoosing the ranking of the information which will become presented tothe driver.

The system may utilize one or more sensors in detecting objects andvehicles on the road ahead and alongside (and optionally behind) thesubject vehicle. For example, the subject vehicle may include one ormore cameras or imagers that capture image data of the scene occurringforwardly and/or sidewardly and/or rearwardly of the subject vehicle.The cameras have respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle andan image processor or image processors may process the image data todetermine or detect objects or vehicles present in the field of view ofthe camera or cameras.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inPCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise anEyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detectionsoftware (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755;7,720,580; and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detectvehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, andwhen an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate analert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at thedisplayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected objector vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detectedobject or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver ofthe equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonicsensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image datafor image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensingdevice, such as, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensorelements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (preferably amegapixel imaging array or the like), with a respective lens focusingimages onto respective portions of the array. The photosensor array maycomprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensorarray having rows and columns. The logic and control circuit of theimaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the imageprocessing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable meansfor processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545;6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268;6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563;6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928;7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/0145343; WO 2012/154919; WO2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/067083; WO2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO 2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO2013/103548; WO 2013/109869 and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/056014, filed Sep. 19, 2012, and/or PCT/US2012/071219, filedDec. 21, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/026101, filed Feb.14, 2013, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/027342, filed Feb. 22,2013, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/036701, filed Apr. 16, 2013and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/964,134, filed Aug. 12, 2013and published Feb. 20, 2014 as U.S. Publication No. 2014/0052340; Ser.No. 13/942,758, filed Jul. 16, 2013 and published Jan. 23, 2014 as U.S.Publication No. 2014/0025240; Ser. No. 13/942,753, filed Jul. 16, 2013and published Jan. 30, 2014 as U.S. Publication No. 2014/0028852; Ser.No. 13/927,680, filed Jun. 26, 2013 and published Jan. 2, 2014 as U.S.Publication No. 2014/0005907; Ser. No. 13/916,051, filed Jun. 12, 2013and published Dec. 26, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0344736; Ser.No. 13/894,870, filed May 15, 2013 and published Nov. 28, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0314503; Ser. No. 13/887,724, filed May 6, 2013 andpublished Nov. 14, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0298866; Ser. No.13/851,378, filed Mar. 27, 2013 and published Nov. 14, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0300869; Ser. No. 61/848,796, filed Mar. 22, 2012and published Oct. 24, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0278769; Ser.No. 13/847,815, filed Mar. 20, 2013 and published Oct. 31, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0286193; Ser. No. 13/800,697, filed Mar. 13, 2013and published Oct. 3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0258077; Ser.No. 13/785,099, filed Mar. 5, 2013 and published Sep. 19, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0242099; Ser. No. 13/779,881, filed Feb. 28, 2013and published Sep. 5, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0231825; Ser.No. 13/774,317, filed Feb. 22, 2013 and published Aug. 29, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0222592; Ser. No. 13/774,315, filed Feb. 22, 2013and published Aug. 22, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0215271; Ser.No. 13/681,963, filed Nov. 20, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0141578; Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012and published May 9, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0116859; Ser. No.13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012 and published Apr. 25, 2013 as U.S.Publication No. 2013/0099908; and/or Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27,2012 and published Jan. 3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0002873,and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/845,061, filed Jul.11, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,630, filed Jul. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,173,filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,171, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No.61/840,542; Ser. No. 61/838,619, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No.61/838,621, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/837,955, filed Jun. 21,2013; Ser. No. 61/836,900, filed Jun. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,380,filed Jun. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/834,129, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No.61/834,128, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/833,080, filed Jun. 10,2013; Ser. No. 61/830,375, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,377,filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,752, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No.61/825,753, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,648, filed May 15, 2013;Ser. No. 61/823,644, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/821,922, filed May10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,835, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,033,filed May 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/16,956, filed Apr. 29, 2013; Ser. No.61/815,044, filed Apr. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/814,533, filed Apr. 22,2013; Ser. No. 61/813,361, filed Apr. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/840,407,filed Apr. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/808,930, filed Apr. 5, 2013; Ser. No.61/807,050, filed Apr. 1, 2013; Ser. No. 61/806,674, filed Mar. 29,2013; Ser. No. 61/806,673, filed Mar. 29, 2013; Ser. No. 61/804,786,filed Mar. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/793,592, filed Mar. 15, 2013; Ser. No.61/793,614, filed Mar. 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/772,015, filed Mar. 4,2013; Ser. No. 61/772,014, filed Mar. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/770,051,filed Feb. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 61/770,048, filed Feb. 27, 2013; Ser. No.61/766,883, filed Feb. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/760,366, filed Feb. 4,2013; Ser. No. 61/760,364, filed Feb. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/758,537,filed Jan. 30, 2013; Ser. No. 61/756,832, filed Jan. 25, 2013; Ser. No.61/754,804, filed Jan. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/745,925, filed Dec. 26,2012; Ser. No. 61/745,864, filed Dec. 26, 2012; Ser. No. 61/736,104,filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No. 61/736,103, filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No.61/735,314, filed Dec. 10, 2012; Ser. No. 61/734,457, filed Dec. 7,2012; Ser. No. 61/733,598, filed Dec. 5, 2012; Ser. No. 61/733,093,filed Dec. 4, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,912, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No.61/727,911, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,910, filed Nov. 19,2012; Ser. No. 61/713,772, filed Oct. 15, 2012; Ser. No. 61/710,924,filed Oct. 8, 2012; and/or Ser. No. 61/710,247, filed Oct. 2, 2012,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The system may communicate with other communication systemsvia any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systemsdescribed in International Publication No. WO 2013/043661, PCTApplication No. PCT/US10/038477, filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 20111, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,126,525, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454; and 6,824,281, and/or International Publication Nos. WO2010/099416 and/or WO 2011/028686, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S.Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012 and published Jan. 3, 2013 asU.S. Publication No. 2013/0002873, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras maycomprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, andmay utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 and published Oct.1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361; and/or Ser. No.13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,542,451, and/orU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor maycomprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors orimaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imagingarray sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962;5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719;6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435;6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149;7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580; and/or 7,965,336, and/or InternationalPublication Nos. WO/2009/036176 and/or WO/2009/046268, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. 2010/0097469, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011 and published Jun.28, 2012 as U.S. Publication No. 2012/0162427, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The video mirrordisplay may comprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally mayutilize aspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593;4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851;5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508;6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patentapplication, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may beoperable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of thevehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsiveto the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position orthe like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionallymay be operable to display the compass heading or directional headingcharacter or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversingmaneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forwarddirection along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the displaysystem described in International Publication No. WO 2012/051500, whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686;WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012-075250; WO 2012/154919; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; and/or WO 2012/0145313, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7, 2012, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2013/022119, filed Jan. 18, 2013, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011 andpublished Jun. 28, 2012 as U.S. Publication No. 2012/0162427, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 12/091,525,filed Apr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle,said driver assistance system comprising: a plurality of sensorsdisposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system,wherein said plurality of sensors comprise at least one vehicle-basedcamera and at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor, and whereinsaid plurality of sensors are operable to detect objects at least one ofahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;wherein said at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor is selectedfrom the group consisting of a vehicle-based radar sensor disposed atthe equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle and avehicle-based lidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensingexterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein said driver assistance systemincludes a data processor operable to process data captured by said atleast one vehicle-based non-camera sensor and said at least onevehicle-based camera to determine the presence of objects at least oneof ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistancesystem is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of thedetermined objects and respective directions of travel of the determinedobjects; wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determinerespective influence values for the determined objects and whereindetermined respective influence values are based on a determinedpotential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the determinedobjects; wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speedsand respective directions of travel of the determined objects andresponsive to the determined respective influence values, a plurality ofpaths for the equipped vehicle is determined; wherein the determinedplurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm that ranks eachof the determined paths based on likelihood of collision along therespective determined path with one or more determined objects; whereinsaid driver assistance system ranks the determined paths based on (i)the determined speeds of the respective objects relative to the equippedvehicle for the respective determined path, (ii) determined distances tothe respective objects from the equipped vehicle for the respectivedetermined path, (iii) a level of steering intervention required for theequipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, (iv) a levelof braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respectivedetermined path, and (v) a level of acceleration required for theequipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path; wherein saiddata processor processes data captured by said at least onevehicle-based non-camera sensor and said at least one vehicle-basedcamera to determine a respective type of object for the determinedobjects; wherein a selected path of travel is selected from theplurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to therankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to thedetermined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths;and wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path oftravel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative considerationand (ii) an ethical consideration.
 2. The driver assistance system ofclaim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality ofvehicle-based cameras each having an exterior field of view.
 3. Thedriver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the respective influencevalues for the detected objects are weighted in the directions ofrespective speed vectors of the determined objects.
 4. The driverassistance system of claim 3, wherein the respective influence valuesfor the detected objects are weighted in relation to magnitudes of therespective speed vectors.
 5. The driver assistance system of claim 1,wherein the determined respective influence values for the determinedobjects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objectswith greater speeds.
 6. The driver assistance system of claim 1, whereinthe determined respective influence values for the determined objectsare ranked according to their hazardous potential and the path of travelis selected responsive to the rankings of the determined respectiveinfluence values.
 7. The driver assistance system of claim 1, whereinsaid driver assistance system generates an alert to the driver that isindicative of the determined path of travel.
 8. The driver assistancesystem of claim 1, wherein said decision algorithm ranks the determinedpaths based at least in part on lengths of the determined paths.
 9. Thedriver assistance system of claim 8, wherein at least one of thedetermined objects comprises a vehicle.
 10. The driver assistance systemof claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system is operable to atleast in part control at least one of a brake system of the equippedvehicle, a steering system of the equipped vehicle and an acceleratorsystem of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along theselected path of travel.
 11. The driver assistance system of claim 1,wherein said driver assistance system determines at least onealternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow thatlimits conflict with the determined objects.
 12. The driver assistancesystem of claim 11, wherein the selected path of travel or the at leastone alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow isselected by iterating an influence map current condition into a futuremap condition in time steps.
 13. The driver assistance system of claim1, wherein said driver assistance system determines the selected path oftravel based at least in part on a driving condition at the road beingtraveled by the equipped vehicle.
 14. A driver assistance system for avehicle, said driver assistance system comprising: a plurality ofvehicle-based cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driverassistance system; at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor disposedat the equipped vehicle, wherein said at least one non-camera sensor isselected from the group consisting of a vehicle-based radar sensordisposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equippedvehicle and a vehicle-based lidar sensor disposed at the equippedvehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein saidplurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camerasensor are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of theequipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle; wherein saiddriver assistance system includes a data processor operable to processdata captured by said vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-basednon-camera sensor to determine the presence of objects at least one ofahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistancesystem is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of thedetermined objects and respective directions of travel of the determinedobjects; wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determinerespective influence values for the determined objects and whereindetermined respective influence values are based on a determinedpotential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the determinedobjects; wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speedsand respective directions of travel of the determined objects andresponsive to the determined respective influence values, a plurality ofpaths of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined; wherein thedetermined plurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm thatranks each of the determined paths based on likelihood of collisionalong the respective determined path with one or more determinedobjects; wherein said driver assistance system ranks the determinedpaths based on (i) the determined speeds of the respective objectsrelative to the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path,(ii) determined distances to the respective objects from the equippedvehicle for the respective determined path, (iii) a level of steeringintervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respectivedetermined path, (iv) a level of braking required for the equippedvehicle to follow the respective determined path, and (v) a level ofacceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respectivedetermined path; wherein said data processor processes data captured bysaid plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-basednon-camera sensor to determine a respective type of object for thedetermined objects; wherein a selected path of travel is selected fromthe plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to therankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to thedetermined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths;wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path oftravel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative considerationand (ii) an ethical consideration; and wherein at least one of (i) saiddriver assistance system is operable to at least in part control atleast one of a brake system of the equipped vehicle, a steering systemof the equipped vehicle and an accelerator system of the equippedvehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of traveland (ii) said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driverthat is indicative of the selected path of travel.
 15. The driverassistance system of claim 14, wherein at least one of (i) therespective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in thedirections of respective speed vectors of the determined objects, (ii)the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted inrelation to magnitudes of the respective speed vectors and (iii) thedetermined respective influence values for the determined objectscomprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects withgreater speeds.
 16. The driver assistance system of claim 14, whereinthe determined respective influence values for the determined objectsare ranked according to their hazardous potential and the path of travelis determined responsive to the rankings of the determined respectiveinfluence values.
 17. The driver assistance system of claim 14, whereinsaid decision algorithm ranks the determined paths based at least inpart on lengths of the determined paths.
 18. The driver assistancesystem of claim 14, wherein said driver assistance system determines atleast one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to followthat limits conflict with the determined objects.
 19. A driverassistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance systemcomprising: a plurality of vehicle-based cameras disposed at a vehicleequipped with said driver assistance system; at least one vehicle-basednon-camera sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle, wherein said atleast one vehicle-based non-camera sensor is selected from the groupconsisting of a vehicle-based radar sensor disposed at the equippedvehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle and a vehicle-basedlidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior ofthe equipped vehicle; wherein said plurality of vehicle-based camerasand said vehicle-based non-camera sensor are operable to detect objectsat least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of theequipped vehicle; wherein said driver assistance system includes a dataprocessor operable to process data captured by said vehicle-basedcameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor to determine thepresence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle andsideward of the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to said dataprocessing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine atleast one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respectivedirections of travel of the determined objects; wherein said driverassistance system is operable to determine respective influence valuesfor the determined objects and wherein determined respective influencevalues are based on a determined potential hazard to the equippedvehicle presented by the determined objects; wherein, responsive to theat least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel ofthe determined objects and responsive to the determined respectiveinfluence values, a plurality of paths of travel for the equippedvehicle is determined; wherein at least one of (i) the respectiveinfluence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directionsof respective speed vectors of the determined objects, (ii) therespective influence values for the detected objects are weighted inrelation to magnitudes of the respective speed vectors, (iii) thedetermined respective influence values for the determined objectscomprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects withgreater speeds and (iv) the determined respective influence values forthe determined objects are ranked according to their hazardous potentialand the plurality of paths of travel are determined responsive to therankings of the determined respective influence values; and wherein thedetermined plurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm thatranks each of the determined paths based on likelihood of collisionalong the respective determined path with one or more determinedobjects; wherein said driver assistance system ranks the determinedpaths based on (i) the determined speeds of the respective objectsrelative to the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path,(ii) determined distances to the respective objects from the equippedvehicle for the respective determined path, (iii) a level of steeringintervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respectivedetermined path, (iv) a level of braking required for the equippedvehicle to follow the respective determined path, and (v) a level ofacceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respectivedetermined path; wherein said data processor processes data captured bysaid plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-basednon-camera sensor to determine respective types of objects for thedetermined objects; wherein a selected path of travel is selected fromthe plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to therankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to thedetermined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths;and wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path oftravel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative considerationand (ii) an ethical consideration.
 20. The driver assistance system ofclaim 19, wherein said decision algorithm ranks the determined pathsbased at least in part on lengths of the determined paths.